My Bloody Valentine
by xMy Living Hellx
Summary: After the Geostigma outbreak is eradicated and Shinra reopens, the faithful group splits up. Yuffie, caught between two worlds she no longer belongs in, becomes part of Reno's crew. However, after only a short time she runs into someone unexpected...
1. Prologue: Starting Anew

AN: This is my first post on this page so please be gentle! I've always loved Final Fantasy VII and this was just something I came up with when I got bored. There may be some mistakes relating to the facts, but I've tried to stay as true to the original game plot and movie as possible. Hope you enjoy!

_What have I done?_

He stared up at the moon, cold and unforgiving. He had done things in his past that he deeply regretted, but this surpassed anything previous. He buried his face in his hands and closed his eyes tighty, hoping that when he reopened them he would find that it had all been a dream.

"V-vin..."

She was beginning to stir. He knew if he didn't leave now he wouldn't get another chance. Then he would be forced to face his deed and stare it square in the face.

_I'm so sorry._

He stood before she could open her eyes and was gone, leaving her alone and barely conscious in the pouring rain.

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It all began three months after the geostigma plague had been eradicated. The seven friends had once again gone their separate ways, much to Yuffie's discontent. She had urged them to stay together, but their lives were all headed in different directions; especially now that Tifa and Cloud had finally decided to raise Demzel and Marlene together. She felt like they were all leaving her behind. Barrett was trying to salvage new recruits for Avalanche, Vincent had gone off to scrounge for more infomation about his shady past, Tifa and Cloud were running the 7th Heaven and a delivery service together, but Yuffie was left in the lurch. She refused to stay in Midgar and do odd jobs just to make end's meet, but she refused even more to return to Wutai and be chastised by her father for failing yet again. So she agreed to do what sounded best at the time. She got an offer for a well paying position with Reno's motley little group. Eventhough they had been enemies during Shinra's rein of terror, she had always secretly had eyes for him, so she decided to hedge her bets and join. So, this is where we'll begin...


	2. Chapter One: A Slow Start

Chapter 1: A Slow Start

_Ugh...what time is it?_

Yuffie awoke with a yawn and a stretch as she shook off the lethargy of another horrible night. She knew the reason for her sleepless nights, but she couldn't just quit working for Reno. Jobs were always scarce in Midgar, but even more so now that Rufus Shinra had begun to build the Shinra corporation back up. Eventhough they were trying to harness earth-friendly energy that didn't suck off of the lifestream, Yuffie was still sceptical as to their motives. What if this "new leaf" that Shinra had seemed to have turned over was just a cover for more destructive research and experimentation?

"Yuffie? You awake yet?" came Reno's familiar voice, followed by a knock on her front door.

She shakily got out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants. As she ambled sleepily towards the door, she ran her fingers through her hair to try and smooth it out. Tossing and turning in bed last night, however, proved to have crimped and tangled it in ways that only washing it would fix. She twisted the door knob, allowing the door to give way to Reno's emotioness face. He took a long drag on his cigarette and exhaled slowly, allowing a steady stream of gray smoke to escape past his lips.

"Hey there, rough night?" he asked, noticing the tired and somewhat irritable expression on her face.

All Yuffie could manage to utter in response was an incoherent grumble. She allowed him entry into her apartment and started to make her way back to her room to begin her moring rituals.

"Do you have coffee?" he called to her from the kitchen.

"Pantry," she replied grumpily.

"What about-"

"The kahlua's in the cupboard above the sink," she interjected.

"Hon, you know me too well," he chucked as he flipped the switch on the coffee maker.

Yuffie, returning several moments later awake and dressed, re-entered the room and sat on a stool next to Reno. She glanced over the side of his coffee cup and saw that there was still half a glass left. She quickly stole the mug and took a long drink.

"You'll need that with the schedule we've got today, there've been more livestock mutilations on the outskirts of Nibelheim. Rufus wants us to go check it out. Rude and Elena are busy on some other subject, so it's just gonna be us this time, kiddo. Could be nothing big, maybe a rogue fiend or two, but you never know. You up for it?" Reno said shooting a half-cocked smile in her direction.

"Yeah I'm ready! Let's go kick some fiend butt!" she said triumphantly.

"Ya know, I wouldn't give the time of day to most girls if they made comments like that," he said with a smile, as he extended his arm and grasped Yuffie's angular chin in hand, "but you're special..."

Yuffie blushed a little and wrenched herself free from Reno's long, slender fingers.

"Haven't we had this conversation before?" she muttered distantly.

Reno took another puff and rolled the cigarette over in his fingers, shaking the cinders free and allowing them to float down into the ashtray below.

"I suppose...but we never seem to resolve the issue," he replied, a whiff of smoke escaping with his words.

"C'mon Reno, just drop it. Those fiends aren't gonna wait for us," she said, grabbing her bag and hurrying out the door.

Reno stared after her but remained motionless for a moment. Realizing that he wasn't following her, Yuffie made a quick about face and grabbed his thin wrist firmly in her hand, pulling him to his feet. She was prepared to drag him all the way to his car, but he only slightly resisted which made the process easier. She turned to give him a mock scowl and noticed he was smiling. She stopped short.

"What?" she asked suspisciously.

"Nothing," he said with a chuckle, "I just like it when you're forceful."

She immediately released his wrist and stomped away.

"When you have your composure and self-control in check, I'll be waiting in the car," she called irritatedly over her shoulder.


	3. Chapter Two: A Bloody Reunion

Chapter 2: A Bloody Reunion

Yuffie sat quietly in the passenger seat of Reno's car and stared out at the dust-blown remains of the broken little town. Reno glanced over at her occasionally, waiting for some kind of sign that she was ready to go.

_Why does this place seem familiar even though I've never been here before?_

She sighed deeply before hesitantly pushing the door open and kicking her feet out onto the sandy ground. She closed the door and took a few steps forward before she became overwhelmed by another felling of déjà vu.

Reno appeared at her side shortly after and broke her daze.

"Well…you ready kiddo?" he said with a reassuring smile.

"It's so….so quiet," she said in a tone nearing a whisper.

"Yeah," Reno said, scratching the side of his head, "Rufus told me someone was supposed to be meeting us here."

They both scanned the horizon for any signs of life other than their own, but there didn't even seem to be any animals around, much less humans. A strong wind blew past them sending an eerie chill up Yuffie's back. Out of reflex, she grabbed Reno's warm hand in hers and squeezed it tightly.

"What's this?" Reno joked, "Is the brave ninja a little scared?"

Yuffie glared over at Reno.

"Don't be a jerk," she snorted, "Let's just go find the fiends, take care of 'em, and get out of this creepy place."

Reno nodded in agreement and the two of them headed for the nearest house. Just as they had begun to head up the terrace, the door of the house flew open and the figure of a small boy came hurtling toward them. He collapsed several feet in front of them and Yuffie immediately released Reno's hand to hurry to his aid.

She knelt beside him and put a hand on the boy's back to roll him over. As she turned him she noticed he was covered in bloody cuts and bruises. She laid his head in her lap gently and checked his pulse. It was faint, but still existent.

"Reno! He's alive!" she yelled frantically, "Hurry! Get the first aid kit out of the car!"

She examined his wounds carefully, and came to the conclusion that they were too deep to have been caused by a mere fiend attack. She brushed his hair aside lovingly and noticed two deep puncture wounds in the side of his neck, just above his collarbone.

"What type of fiend did you get attacked by?" she wondered aloud.

As she turned to see how Reno was doing with the first aid kit, she felt a small fist grasp the front of her shirt. Short, painful wheezes were audible coming from the boy in her lap. She turned back and, to her amazement, he was coherent. He was stricken with an expression of pure terror, and constantly glanced back at the door of the house. He tightened his grasp on Yuffie's shirt as if pulling her closer to him, and his lips began to move as if trying to form words. She leaned closer to try and hear what it was he was struggling to say. He gave one last attempt to speak and, with a loud, hacking cough that covered the side of Yuffie's face in blood, he cleared his throat long enough to utter his plea.

"K-kill me!"

"What?!?" Yuffie gasped in horror.

"P-please k-kill me!"

Suddenly he was overcome by a coughing fit that left him seizing in her arms. Every muscle in his body became tense and rigid before he shuddered and ceased any further movement. His hand relinquished her blouse as his arm collapsed limp at his side. Yuffie felt hot, wet tears roll down her cheeks.

_Dammit! I can't even save a helpless little boy!!_

Reno finally returned with the first aid kit, but realized that it was too late. He lay a reassuring a hand on Yuffie's shoulder, but she pushed it off. She placed the boy's delicate body on the ground and stood with a cheerless sigh. When the reality of the situation became clearer to her, though, her blood began to boil and that sadness turned to deep anger.

"Whatever thing did this to him, a small, innocent child, I'm going to hunt it down and end its pathetic life!"

Before Reno could protest, she was barreling towards the house, not even bothering to check if he was following her. No sooner had she passed through the door, but she was overcome by the stench of decay. The smell was stifling and Yuffie caught her breath to keep from being sick.

_Gotta be close…_

She turned a corner and headed towards a staircase which looked as though it headed into the cellar.

_Guess I'll start at the bottom of this wreck and work my way up._

She descended the creaky stairs with care, so as not to fall through a weak place in the wood, and stepped into the dusty, murky basement. Standing in the pitch, she was immediately aware that she was not alone. She could hear the sound of slow, rasping breath issuing from somewhere in the cellar.

"W-who's there?" she called, hoping that the reply wasn't, in effect, an attack.

"Yuffie?" came a deeply familiar voice.

She knew she recognized it, but couldn't place it.

"Yuffie? Is it really you?" Vincent stepped out of the shadows.

"Vincent?!?" she said as a smile spread across her face, "What are you doing-"

But she stopped short in her sentence because she noticed that he was covered in blood. She was about to ask him if he was ok and question his blood spattered appearance, but then she began to recollect the boy and the bitemarks. She shook her head in disbelief and took a few steps backwards.

"Vincent, y-you didn't," she stumbled.

"No, Yuffie! I didn't honestly!" he cried, his eyes flashing fiercely, "I don't know what's going on!"

Yuffie became very uncomfortable even though she was face to face with her long-time friend and ally. She backed up towards the staircase slowly, hoping to secure an exit.

"Yuffie, wait, I-" but he broke off abruptly.

His eyes turned scarlet and he grasped his head in agonizing pain.

"No! Stop! I won't!" he cried, "Yuffie! Run!"

He shot her a desperate glance before he let out a painful moan and his glistening fangs descended.

Yuffie shrieked and turned to run, but it was too late. She felt a strong arm enfold her and tow her backwards. Petrified tears streamed down her face.

"Vincent, please!" she begged.

"Sorry, love," came a markedly different voice, "But Vincent's not here right now."

Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her neck as the two long, white fangs pierced her flesh. She slowly felt her life ebbing away and being replaced by an escalating cold. Before long, weakness took her and she passed out.


	4. Chapter Three: A New Beginning

Chapter 3: A New Beginning

Yuffie's eyes fluttered open hesitantly and she surveyed her surroundings.

"Where am I?" she thought aloud.

She tried to stand, but her legs gave way beneath her.

"You're still too weak; don't try to get up just yet," came Vincent's smooth voice.

She looked up and found him perched comfortably on a high window ledge.

"Vincent?" she asked confusedly, "What am I…why are you…"

She broke off and scratched her head, utterly befuddled.

"Your memories will return soon, they tend to fade as you change, but you'll recover them," he continued.

"What do you mean 'changed'?" she asked.

HE sighed but did not respond.

Suddenly, she felt a twinge of pain in her neck. As she raised a hand to her throat to investigate, a vision of the source of the pain flashed in her mind and she remembered the earlier events.

"Y-you bit me!" she shrieked as she felt the two tiny puncture wounds beneath her fingers.

"About that….I'm sorry," he mumbled, "But if you don't want to die I suggest you drink soon."

Yuffie remained stricken dumb with a look of bewilderment.

"Drink what?" she asked, "What did you do to me?"

Before he could respond, a low groan issued from a dark corner of the room.

"Ugh! My head," Reno croaked, "Where am I?"

"Reno?" Yuffie called, "Thank God, let's get outta here!"

As Reno tried to move he found he was restrained by thick, iron shackles.

"Couldn't have you running off now, could I?" Vincent said nonchalantly, not even bothering to remove his gaze from the ground in front of him.

All at once, he jumped down from the window sill and helped Yuffie to her feet. He supported her weight and brought her over to Reno's side.

"I'll explain everything to you both in time, but first, Yuffie, you need to feed before it's too late."

He stretched a thin, pale wrist toward her and smiled.

Yuffie looked up at him, puzzled, but as her eyes met his wrist she felt a strange sort of instinct kick in. She grabbed his arm in her hands and sunk her teeth into his icy flesh. When she had been completely satiated, she released her grasp and wiped off the small trail of blood running down chin. She smiled serenely, but soon the smile faded as her gaze fell upon Reno's horrified expression. Her rationality immediately snapped back into focus and she pulled back.

"What am I doing?" she cried, "I just bit YOU! What the hell is going on?"

"You still don't know?" Reno piped in, "When he bit you he turned you!"

"Turned me? Into…"Yuffie's mind suddenly clicked, "Into a VAMPIRE?!?"

Vincent nodded and let his head drop remorsefully.

"About a month ago, Hojo's men captured me again and he stole the protomateria inside me that holds back my berserker transformation. Now I can no longer control when my body changes and the beast takes over. That's why I've been hiding out here since my escape from Hojo's laboratory."

"So, when I came down here earlier and found you, you couldn't control your beasty side and it took over and attacked me," Yuffie interpreted, "Then why did you say you didn't know what was happening…and why do you have Reno chained up?"

"To answer your first question, the pain I felt when I transformed earlier was more powerful than it has been yet. I wasn't sure that I was actually changing. I also only just came to understand what had happened while I was Hojo's prisoner. To your second question, I was afraid that when Reno couldn't find you and he came looking and found me that he would alert Shinra to my whereabouts and when they stormed the house I would change and take them all out. I don't want my hands sullied with anymore blood. That's why you're still alive, Yuffie. Somehow my true self broke through and made the monster inside me submit before it killed you."

"Well, let Reno go and we'll leave you be," Yuffie pleaded, "We won't tell Shinra you're here, Vincent. I wouldn't do that to a friend, nor would I let Reno."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," he replied, "You are not yet fully aware of your capabilities as a creature of the night. If I let you two go, there's no telling what could happen."

"No!" Yuffie yelled, "YOU bit ME! YOU did this! And YOU no longer get to call the shots!"

"Yuffie," Reno interjected, "He's right. We both have to stay here. You, for your own protection, have to stay, and I'm staying to insure your safety. I'm not gonna leave you alone here with him when you are in such a fragile state of mind and body."

"Then it's settled," Vincent muttered, "You both will stay here with me until I deem Yuffie able to control herself on her own."


	5. Chapter Four: Learning To Hunt

Chapter 4: Learning To Hunt

Yuffie perched on the spire of the twisted, medieval style roof, her eyes piercing through the darkness spread out before her. Every muscle in her body was tense, every cell focused on her task. She listened intently for the signal, but heard nothing. After nearly ten minutes of utter silence, she broke her concentration and spoke.

"I can't hear anything," she whined to Vincent, who was at her shoulder, "Are you sure about this? Maybe it'd just be easier to hunt humans…"

_At least they make more noise…_

"And we don't have to kill them, just drain them a little…"

Vincent shook his head and sighed.

"That is your hunger talking," he replied morosely, "If you ever really killed a human, you'd spend the rest of your undead life regretting it. Trust me."

Yuffie made a guttural noise in protest, but reluctantly agreed.

"Now, focus!" Vincent said, placing his hands on the sides of Yuffie's head and turning it sharply so that her eyes once again met the field below her.

Yuffie narrowed her gaze and scanned the ground.

_He really expects me to find a field mouse from up here by listening for it?!?_

Suddenly, Yuffie's ears pricked. There was the faint sound of grass being moved in the field. As soon as Yuffie's ears caught it, her gaze zeroed in on it. It was a tiny rodent nibbling on a blade of grass. Without a word or thought as to her own safety, she jumped off of the rooftop and glided down to the ground. As a cat, she landed on her feet with a soft thud and promptly returned to a standing position. She waited silently for another sign from the tiny mouse as to its whereabouts. Again there came the gnawing sound from the tall grass. Yuffie lunged forward and in one swift move she grabbed the mouse and sunk her fangs in. The poor, little wretch squealed in fright, but was quickly silent.

Yuffie could hear applause nearing her and when she turned, she saw that it was Vincent floating down from the roof to her location.

"Well done, for your first hunt on your own," he said with a smile, "Now I don't have to worry about feeding the both of us, I suppose."

He stretched out an arm to her and she took it willingly as he led her back in the house.

"I'm surprised at how little we need to feed to survive," she said with a laugh.

"Well, you see, that was because with Hojo's experiment, he was trying to create the perfect SOLDIER. One who never need rest, food, water, or any other of life's necessities. Let's just say he nearly got it right," Vincent chuckled.

Reno came out the door in a huff and looked at the two undead skeptically.

"Hunting again?" he asked sarcastically.

Yuffie smirked and her eyes went black.

"Don't be jealous just because you can't see as well as we can….or hear as well," she hissed as she and Vincent exchanged bemused glances.

That was the final straw for Reno. All of this had happened unbeknownst to him and he had, up to this point, felt a great deal of guilt because of it. But since the day Yuffie had been turned, she had begun to slowly change. Her hair had turned a darker black and now twisted down to her mid-back. Her personality had become sarcastic and vindictive. She was not the sweet young girl that he had met in Midgar all those years ago. The worst part of it all was that she had begun to treat him differently. When she had joined his Shinra group several months earlier, he had thought that his chance to make her his was within his grasp; but now it felt like he was holding on to sand that was slowly escaping through the gaps in his fingers. It filled him with an overwhelming sadness and a feeling as though he had no control over the variables in his life.

He grabbed Yuffie by the arm and, although she resisted and had grown stronger since her conversion, he was able to pull her aside.

"What's wrong with you?" he berated her, "A few weeks ago you'd have never talked to me like that. You've changed Yuffie. This thing you've become…I don't recognize you anymore! You're pushing me away and when I leave, all you'll have is your empty, unbeating heart, and an undead mentor who is at least six or seven times your age!"

He released her arm and stalked away.

Yuffie stood speechless for a moment, but after the immediate shock of Reno assertiveness faded, the cocky smirk crept across her face once more.

_He doesn't know what he's saying. He'll never leave me. He cares about me too much. Right?_

She shook off her doubts and returned to Vincent's side.

"What a drama queen, right?" she laughed, looking up to her mentor.

"Umm…whatever you say, I suppose," he replied sardonically, "However, I have to say that it is not in your best interest to spurn him. He's your only tie to your former life, and, trust me, when I say that once you lose that, you'll forever carry an empty space in your heart. Even though it doesn't beat anymore, it can still feel the pain of loss…"

He shrugged and began to ascend the stairs to him chambers.

"Alright teach," Yuffie said buoyantly, "Whatever you say. After all, you've kinda been in this situation longer than I have."

She followed him up the stairs and accosted him momentarily for a hug, which he allowed even though it made him grimace. They then parted ways, each traversing another set of stairs to their own room.

Yuffie sat on her bedroom windowsill and stared out into the night. The moon shone down brightly on the vast, dark field sprawled out in front of the manor. She used to be moved by such a scene, but now she looked upon the night sky with disgust. She never realized how ugly the night could be when it was the only thing you ever saw. She had taken her time in the sunlight for granted and it saddened her to know that she would never be able to see it again. She would never be able to feel the sun's gentle warmth dance across her cheek, or sit under a shade tree and read a good book. Now it was dark all the time. She wondered if that was the reason for her new mood. Yes, she had noticed the change in herself, too. She was just too stubborn to admit it. She hated being wrong, especially when it meant that Reno was right.

_I guess I'll apologize to Reno…tomorrow, maybe…_


	6. Chapter Five: A Change of Heart

A Change of Heart

(AN: BA BA DA DA!! Ok so here it is...the long awaited next installment of my story...well maybe not so much but for those of you that have been following it, thank you! I really appreciate the feedback! I'm sorry it took so long...school was a little overwhelming towards the end but its summer now so I've gotten some time to work on it! Enjoy!!)

Reno awoke with a start, beads of sweat tickling his forehead. He sat up in bed and surveyed his surroundings. The room was still dark due to the think, velvet curtains that fell in front of them and gathered in a heap on the floor under the windows. He checked his watch on the bedside table and frowned.

"9:30..." he muttered as he stood and searched the shady room for his pants.

Across the hall, Yuffie sat listening to the rustling and soft footsteps emanating from the space under Reno's door. She was debating inside herself as to whether or not to traverse the hall and blindside him with an apology for her mood the previous night. She wasn't sure if she had actually done anything wrong. She didn't feel guilty, she just disliked the way he had spoken to her and felt that an apology would avoid any of that in the future.

Once she had convinced herself that an apology was appropriate, she swallowed her pride and stepped into the cold hallway. She placed a soft knock on his door and heard a sigh from beyond it. He knew it was her, and he was hesitant to approach the door.

"C'mon Reno...Please..." she murmured.

There was a shuffling and she heard the lock on the door click. It creaked slightly as it gave way to Reno's solemn, unshaven face. He didn't speak, he just stepped aside and granted her entry. She tentatively passed him through the threshold of the door and flopped down on the edge of his bed. He shut the door out of habit and continued with his morning routine, completely ignoring her.

"I...I'm sorry...I guess..."She sighed.

Reno made an almost inaudible gutteral noise and took a brush to his messy mop of red hair.

"I can see the changes in me that you mentioned...I don't know where they're coming from or if I even dislike them, but I never wanted to alienate you..."She continued, glancing up at him expectantly.

"I just keep trying to help you and keep getting brushed aside...I'm tired of it Yuffie. I'm tired of the sarcasm and the emotionlessness..."He replied without looking up.

"...It's not like I asked for this," Yuffie muttered, "It's not like I walked up to Vincent and asked him to bite me!"

Tears began to stream down her pale cheeks. She didn't even realize she could cry anymore, so the sensation was very foreign-feeling. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and continued.

"You act as though this is all intentional on my part!" She cried, "If I could go back to that moment and stop all this from having happened, I would!"

Reno turned on his heels and glared at Yuffie through squinted eyes.

"You could have fooled me! You follow him around like his own personal little lap dog! If he told you to jump, you'd do it no questions asked! So don't give me some line about wanting to turn back time! It's all a farse!" He snorted.

This only served to increase Yuffie's tears. Without another word, she stood and ran from the room. However, rather than returning to her own room, she proceeded through the long corridor, down the winding stairs, and stopped short just in front of the door to Vincent's room.

Reno sighed and fell back onto the bed. He now felt like Yuffie was the one who deserved an apology from him. He just wanted things to be like they used to be. When all either of them wanted was to be together, no questions asked. When he wasn't afraid to get close to her. Before Vincent had ever come along and complicated things. He had hated Vincent before during his stint with Shinra trying to thwart Avalanche, but now that he knew Vincent on a more personal level, he hated him all the more.

Yuffie wasn't sure why her feet had carried her there, but the more she thought about it, the more she wanted someone to comfort her. She knocked lightly at the door, but heard no movement from behind it.

"Vincent?" she called softly, "Are you there?"

The door creaked open a few inches and a small burst of stagnant air escaped past her. She pushed the door open and entered tentatively. Although the room was cloaked in darkness, Yuffie could see clearly with her cat-like eyes. Vincent was huddled in the corner by the window. She approached him quietly and knelt next to him.

"Vincent?" she murmured, "Are you ok?"

However, no sooner had the words left her mouth that she realized something was different. She stood and backed away slowly as Vincent began to move under the blanket wrapped around him. His eyes flashed as he turned in her direction. They were glowing a fierce red, but Yuffie began to notice that his entire body was bathed in the same soft, red lambency.

Yuffie turned to run, but felt something holding her back. She looked down and saw a thin, pale hand wrapped around her leg. She shrieked as she was thrown to the floor and suddenly felt a weight atop her. Vincent was perched on her back, pinning her to the floor.

Before she could do anything to try and cast Vincent off of her she could feel him lean down over her. His breath was hot on the back of her neck. His lips pressed gently against her skin and she felt a shiver run down her back. His hand met hers and grasped it tightly.

"V-vincent?" she stumbled over her words.

Suddenly, she felt a twinge of pain as his fangs sank into her neck. However, this time it wasn't as unpleasant as the first. In fact, she found herself enjoying it. She lost herself in the feeling and before she realized it, Vincent had released her and sat a few inches away.

Yuffie sat up and turned in his direction. He had his back to her.

"I-I'm sorry Yuffie," he said remorsefully, "I shouldn't have allowed myself to do that..."

Yuffie crawled over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Don't be..." she replied, "As strange as it may sound, I haven't felt that close to anyone in a very long time..."

She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"Yuffie...I..." Vincent broke off.

"You what?" She said looking up at him.

His eyes met hers and he couldn't reply. He placed a hand under her chin and gently pulled her towards him, allowing their lips to meet briefly.

"What was that for master?" she said, a bit taken aback.

"Just a small thank you, I suppose," He replied, "No one has treated me as you have in a very long time...It's been ages since anyone has looked upon my face with such kindness in their eyes. People usually equate me with a monster, something to fear and avoid. However, you are not afraid of me..."

Yuffie was speechless. She placed her hands on his shoulders and rested her forehead against his.

"How could someone with as soft a voice and as kind a heart as you ever be seen as a monster?" she replied deftly.


	7. Chapter Six: Divergence

Vincent smiled lovingly down at the sleeping Yuffie lying next to him. She looked so serene and content that he didn't want to move and risk waking her; however he was also worried that if Reno came to him looking for her that this scene would only serve to exacerbate the already worsening situation between him and Yuffie. He couldn't say that he would try and stop Reno from leaving if it came to that. In fact, he'd probably encourage him to go. He didn't like the Turk getting in the way and upsetting Yuffie; but he also knew that if Reno were to leave, that Yuffie would most likely fall into a deeper downward spiral, one which he didn't know if he could pull her out of.

She began to rouse from sleep, and to avoid any awkwardness, Vincent quickly pulled a robe over his shoulders and took his leave of her.

Reno, meanwhile, paced the floor of his lavishly furnished room. He debated in his head whether to scour the castle in search of the missing ninja, or rather to wait and allow her time to deal with her emotions and return on her own. He wanted to settle things between them once and for all so that they could move past the dead air that was constantly hindering their relationship, if you could even call it that.

He strode across the floor to the mirror on the wall and peered at the shabby reflection staring back at him. He hadn't shaved in a few days, his hair was tousled and matted, and he had deep, dark circles under his eyes. He hadn't remembered a time he had looked worse. He was normally very keen on keeping up appearances, but lately he had begun to develop lazy habits. He ran his hands through his hair feverishly in an attempt to relieve it of it's "rat nest-like" state. He didn't take much stock in his appearance since his confidence in Yuffie's feelings had begun to wane. He knew if he were a smarter man, he would suck it up and move on. She obviously didn't have any intentions of pursuing anything with him or else it wouldn't feel like they were moving in slow motion. Reno, however, was not that man. He knew he was too blinded by his love for the ninja to pull himself away from her. Even though every time she denied him it felt as though her words ripped at his insides, he had become accustomed to the pain. The pain was what told him that he was still capable of feeling anything at all.

He sighed at the face staring back through the mirror at him and turned away from it. He knew that at this point no amount of primping would help, and he despised the broken man that now took the place of his reflection. He pulled on a jacket, because the hallway was always chill, and inhaled deeply.

_Suck it up man, do what you have to do._

Yuffie's eyes fluttered open and she stretched happily. Her arm moved to the side of the bed where she expected a marble-cold body to be, but was surprised to find herself alone.She sat up, slightly thrown, and scoured the room for signs of Vincent. Seeing that she was the only sentient being in the room, she kicked off the sheets and wrapped her scantily clad body in a large, furry throw. She traversed the room, opened the door, and peered out into the hallway. However, rather than her eyes falling upon Vincent, she was met with yet another surprise. Reno, was pacing the hallway a few feet away, not seeming to notice her presence. He looked up in a daze, and jumped slightly to see the ninja peeking out from behind the door-frame.

"O-oh," he sucked in a deep breath, "I didn't see you there."

"I noticed," Yuffie replied, eyes glued to the floor, sheepishly.

"I, umm-"

"If you're looking for Vincent, I haven't seen him," she said with a mock-distracted glance out the window.

"No, actually, I came to talk to you," he replied, building up his courage.

"Oh, about what exactly," she responded in a mutter.

"Well, I...I...umm..."he stumbled over the words that he knew he wanted to say.

He knew the syllables were there, stuck on the tip of his tongue, hesitant to be formed into coherent speech. He wanted to blurt it all out at once, get everything off his chest and turn and run, but he knew he couldn't. He respected Yuffie far too much to simply bombard her with all his pent up feelings and turn and flee before she had a chance to comprehend. He didn't feel like he owed her anything, in fact he felt exactly the contrary. He felt like she deserved to be left in the lurch, but he also was determined to save his last shred of dignity and morality.

_Just spit it out! Don't be such a moronic wimp!_

"Yuffie, I...I just wanted to say that I think I need to leave the house," he began, "You can obviously take care of yourself much better than I could, and you don't really seem to want me here anymore. You have Vincent, after all, and I just seem to get in the way."

Yuffie was floored, "Where did all this come from so suddenly? How can you say that I don't want you here? You're my friend."

"But that's the problem here! Don't you see, Yuffie? I can't just be friends with you! I'm in love with you but time and time again you push me away! I can't take it anymore, I need to move on because obviously you did a long time ago. I've been kidding myself, feebly holding on to a memory of something that never came to fruition. I don't have as much time as you do, after all, I'm mortal. I need to get on with my life, and I can't do that if I stay here. This house, Vincent, you, it never ages. I do."

Reno paused to catch his breath, and Yuffie took advantage of the break in his tirade.

"I love you too, I just can't love you the way you want me to. I'm sorry if that hurts, and I understand your decision. You need to live your life. Our paths ran parallel once, but now they've diverged."

Reno was taken aback, "I didn't expect you to take it this well, but I guess it's for the best."

The truth is, Yuffie's understanding nature only hurt Reno more. He wanted her to cry, to beg him to stay. The way she succinctly explained herself left a lot to be desired in his mind. He had to make a conscious effort to turn and walk away.

_You're just giving up? Just like that? You've been with her and cared for her! You shouldn't let her throw you away that easily!_

Reno shook the thoughts from his head and sighed. He'd made up his mind, however hard it was, and he had to follow through.


	8. Chapter Seven: His Story

Chapter 7: His Story

(AN: Okay, I'm trying to get back in the swing of updating more often. I thought it would be easy since I'm in college now, but it really hasn't been. I've had work, work, and more work but I've tried to find time between that and my social life to write. So, here's the fruit of my labor. Please enjoy! By the way, this chapter is going to be MUCH longer than mine usually are but bare with me. This is a back-story from Reno's perspective.)

Reno stared up the drive at the large, looming mansion. His eyes wandered up to Yuffie's window, full of regret. What had he done? He was walking out on the one girl that he loved, the one girl that really understood him inside and out. He knew what he was doing was wrong, dreadfully wrong, but not wrong in the sense of the greater good. It was wrong in the sense that _he _would never feel whole without her. He had already assured himself time and again that this was the right thing for her. He nearly threw his hands up and called off the whole thing while packing just an hour ago, but he knew he had to go through with it. The hardest things for one person are sometimes what is best for another.

He turned from the house and sighed as he ambled over the dusty path back to his sedan.

(I don't want to confuse anyone reading this, but this next passage is a flashback. Sorry if it was obvious, I just know that in the past I've had the tendency towards being brain-dead when I read these and I don't realizing it. Therefore I just wanted to clarify to avoid any confusion...and now back to your regularly scheduled fanfic XP)

Reno sat alone in a dark corner booth of the Seventh Heaven slowly sipping a glass of J&B. He knew that the couple that owned the bar used to be enemies, at least in circumstance, but the place had a homely, familiar feeling. Besides, it was the last place that anyone from Shinra would ever look for him. However, as he caught the bar door swinging open in the corner of his eye, he frowned at a familiar face. Tseng, his stern, upright colleague from his days with Shinra, strolled in through the open door. Reno buried his face in his folded arms but hiding was no use, his bright red hair was a dead give-away. Tseng floated over and took a seat on the opposing side of the booth. He lifted a finger and a waitress flitted to the table to take his order.

"I'll have a glass of soda water," he said in a muted tone, and no sooner had she appeared but the waitress was gone.

"I see you're still living on the wild side," Reno said sarcastically as he unburied his face and rested his chin on his folded arms.

Tseng made a face at Reno, but it faded quickly.

"Reno, let us skip the formalities. You know why I'm here."

"I know, I know, but just for fun, let's pretend I don't," He sneered, "I wanna hear you beg."

"Still as childish and egocentric as ever I see, so nothing has changed after all," he ignored Reno's bitter scowl, "As you know, Shinra is regrouping. We are beginning research into new, healthy forms of energy that we can make available to everyone with tapping into the lifestream or harming the planet. I was sent to round up our original group. We're all getting promotions and exuberant pay raises. There are going to be 5 of us to run things and we will each have a group of trainees at our disposal. Rufus has sent me to gather you today."

"Not interested, Tseng, but tell him thanks for the generous offer," Reno seethed, "I don't miss anything Shinra related and I certainly won't have anything to do with whatever knew ploy Rufus has up his contrived sleeves, I've turned over a new leaf."

Tseng chuckled, "That's cute, new leaf, but I think you're confused. It wasn't really a request, it was more of an order. If you remember correctly, you signed a contract and that contract has yet to have expired."

"Now you're the one being cute, you think a piece of paper with my signature is going to make me just get up and walk out of here with you? Ha, you're sorely mistaken," Reno replied.

"Hmm, he said you might say that. But, there's one thing that will make this offer impossible for you to refuse. Did you not hear me mention that there will be five of us? If you haven't decimated all of your braincells drinking in here day after day you will remember that there were only 4 of us including yourself. You, Rude, Elena, and myself. Aren't you curious as to who that fifth person might be?" He said teasingly.

"Do you really expect me to care what poor, pathetic loser Rufus dug up and scammed into taking part in your little entourage?" Reno shot back.

Tseng reached into his jacket pocket and removed a small, square piece of stiff paper and slid it across the table to Reno.

"Anyone you recognize?" He asked.

Reno flipped over the photograph and his smile dropped instantly. He was staring at a round, ivory colored face with chin-length dark hair and bright, brown eyes. It was a face he knew all too well because it belonged to a girl that had been on his mind nearly every day since the fall of Shinra. It was the face of Yuffie Kisaragi. Reno's head drooped.

"I'll do whatever you want, just don't do anything to her please," Reno replied, defeated.

"Well now, there's a change in tune my old friend, but we're not going to hurt her in any way. Once you are put through core training to confer that you are still capable of handling yourself in battle, you two are going to be partners," Tseng replied with a cocky smile.

"What's the catch?" Reno said, raising his head in confusion to meet Tseng's eyes in search of meaning.

"No catch. As I said, Rufus wants to begin anew and take Shinra in a new direction. So, are you ready? Are you ready to come back and be reunited with your family?" Tseng said, stretching a hand across the table to Reno.

Reno nodded and shook Tseng's hand with fervor, smiling back at him.

"Let's go!"

(A few weeks later)

Reno slumped down onto the floor of his bathroom. His entire body pulsed with pain. He didn't remember training being this hard, but he also didn't doubt the possibility that this was Rufus' recompense for leaving Shinra. He reached a had tenderly up to his face to inspect the damage. The entire right side of his face was black and blue with bruises and slightly inflamed. He winced and pulled his hand away, replacing the cold compress. His ribs ached and he had trouble walking on his left leg, which had led to the development of a bit of a limp over the last few days. However, he knew he would live through the pain because it was all leading towards something bigger. Just a few more days and he would be reunited with Yuffie. Perhaps he would finally be able to tell her how he felt about her; how he had felt about her since the first time he had met her. He felt a queasy lump in his stomach start to rise a little and leaned over the toilet to brace himself for the possibility of becoming sick. The feeling passed and he lay down on the cold floor of the bathroom. He pressed his cheek against a chill tile and closed his eyes, breathing deeply as relief spread across his painfully bruised cheek. He could survive a few more days.

(The last day of training)

Reno stumbled out the door, coughing up some blood into his hand. Tseng followed close behind him with a satisfied smile on his face, clutching his side and leaning on the wall for support.

"Seems I've become a little rusty in the sparring ring. I suppose I'm not as fast as I used to be," he replied.

"Maybe I'm just better than you remember, eh?" Reno suggested with a cocky grin.

"No, no. You've never beaten me before. This is a precedent. I suppose not having been on active duty in a while has made me slightly soft," he replied in a tone that sounded as though he was trying to reassure himself.

"Whatever, Tseng. When do I get to see Yuffie?" he asked excitedly.

"What do you mean? She's been observing us the entire time," Tseng answered with a chuckle.

Reno cocked his head in confusion, but as he did so a door to his left flew open and something sped past Tseng and into Reno's arms, knocking him slightly off balance in his weakened state.

"How ya doin' buddy? Haven't seen your girly red hair in a while," Yuffie said hugging Reno tighter than he would've liked.

Reno winced in pain and pushed her back a little.

"I'm a little sore for Tseng's last sucker punch," he said as he shot a scowl at Tseng, "but much better now that I get to see you.I missed you! If you've been observing the whole time how come you never came down and told me?"

Yuffie blushed slightly at Reno's last two comments, "They wouldn't let me see you until your training was done...you missed me?"

He chuckled a little and mussed her hair, "Of course I did, kiddo."

Yuffie tried to reduce the increasing redness in her cheeks, but to no avail.

"So I hear we're gonna be partners, eh?" she said buoyantly.

"Seems that way...what did they say that got you so interested in joining up with a company you fought so hard to bring down? You used to hate Shinra and push me away for being involved with them."

"They made me an offer I couldn't refuse, but we should get you to the infirmary and get your injuries checked out," she replied, changing the subject.

Reno decided not to press the subject, but instead took Yuffie's outstretched arm and followed her through the door.

(Several weeks later)

Reno's cellphone rang on his bedside table. He awoke with a grumpy noise and fumbled through the darkness to find it.

"Hello?" he asked, with an edge in his voice after having flipped his phone open and pressed it against his cheek.

"Reno, there's been an incident. We need you now!" a smooth voice replied from the other end of the line.

Reno suddenly perked up, "I'm on my way."

He jumped out of bed, grabbed his pants and shoes and shot through the front door of his small apartment. He dressed in the elevator and was in the car driving away in a matter of seconds. He knew exactly where he was heading: Shinra Headquarters.

It seemed like time was moving in slow motion around him as he drove. He reached his destination in what seemed like 5 minutes, and was bursting through Rufus Shinra's office door nearly a minute later.

He scanned the room and saw a lethargic Yuffie sitting in a padded chair in the corner, yawning and scratching the side of her head. Rufus sat in the large wing-backed chair behind his desk and Tseng and Elena flanked him. Yuffie smiled when Reno walked in the door and rose to meet him.

"Any idea why Rufus pulled us outta bed at 3AM?" he asked, catching his breath from his speedy arrival.

"He hasn't said anything yet, but he coulda at least brought us some coffee. I'm going to be useless pretty soon without a caffeine injection." Yuffie chuckled.

Rufus cleared his throat and Reno's eyes floated up from Yuffie to Rufus. Tseng and Elena took seats on the opposite side of Rufus' desk and gave him their full attention. Yuffie returned to her chair and faced Rufus to get a good view and Reno found a seat next to her. Rufus slipped a cigarette between his lips and lit it. He inhaled deeply, turning the end of the cigarette a bright red-orange color, and blew out a large puff of smoke before beginning his speech.

"We have alot on our hands," he began, pausing for what seemed like dramatic effect, "Fiends have began to pop up all over, Nibelheim, Midgar, even the most remote regions of our country like Gongaga and Wutai."

Yuffie shuddered in her seat and suddenly began to look very uneasy. Reno knew exactly why. As much as she hated where she came from, she had grown up in Wutai and her father still lived there. Reno grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. She looked up at him and he smiled his crooked smile.

Rufus took and long drag on his cigarette and continued, "I'm going to be sending Tseng and Elena to the western continent and Reno and Yuffie will stay on this continent. I'm sending a team of three trainees to the northern continent as well. Your mission is to try and narrow down the source of the fiend increase. They're record numbers of them on the continents and they are supposed more prone to violent outbursts than they have ever been. I want you all to stock up on supplies today and plan on leaving tonight. Each of you will have one military escort from SOLDIER to ensure your safe return. I wish you all luck and will see you when you return. You are dismissed."

Tseng and Elena stood and left quickly to begin preparation. Yuffie, however, kept her seat until they had left. She then stood and approached Rufus' desk.

"Sir," she swallowed loudly, obviously frightened or intimidated by Rufus, "I had a question."

She waited for him to acknowledge her request, but he didn't so she continued.

"I don't know if you knew this, but my hometown in Wutai, my father lives there, and there are alot of memories in that city," she paused for a moment, "I was wondering if you could reconsider sending Tseng and Elena to the western continent."

Rufus turned to her, "And why would you say something like that? I'm doing it for the good of the western continent. Not sending someone could lead to a spike in the death rate over there. I would think that you, being a native of that land, would want me to send someone to help relieve them of their fiend problem."

"Oh, no sir, you misunderstand," she shook her head, "I want you to send me there instead. Let me go to the western continent and let Tseng and Elena stay here."

"No no no, my child, that just won't do at all. You see, you are too connected to that land. You have too many emotions invested there. It would be silly to send you there because you wouldn't be able to act according to the rationality that we've instilled in you over the last few months."

"But sir, I-"

"No! I said no and that is my final word on the matter. Now, go! You and Reno need to make final preparations."

Yuffie turned from Rufus, looking utterly defeated, and headed toward the door. Reno caught up to her and draped an arm over her shoulders. He squeezed her close to him and smiled, trying desperately to raise her spirits.

"So, we get to go on an adventure, eh?" he laughed a little, "Are you excited?"

Yuffie looked at him, an unamused expression on her face. She continued for the elevator without a word.

"Look, Yuffie, I'm sorry that we didn't get to go to Wutai. It's not very fair, but at the same time, not to be mean, but I can kind of see what Rufus is saying," Reno sighed and continued, " He is looking out for you more than anything. He knows that when emotions get too involved in work like this that people get hurt. It would be not only further risking your friends and family in Wutai, but also risking your life sending you there. Tseng and Elena are highly skilled, well trained Shinra employees. They know what they're doing. Your father will be fine."

Yuffie said nothing, but the air seemed less heavy. Reno knew that although she was silent, she had absorbed what he had said and agreed. He followed her out of the elevator and into the parking garage wordlessly. Just when they were about to split for their respective cars, Reno took Yuffie's wrist.

"Yuffie, do you maybe wanna go get a drink with me? Lift some of these bad feelings?" he asked with a grin.

"It's 3:30 in the morning! Nothing's going to be open at this time," she laughed a little.

"Well, then we can go back to my place, I've got a fully stocked liquor cabinet," he said boldly.

Yuffie hesitated and the corners of her lips curled under into a sort of a frown.

"Reno, I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. I don't want to lead you on. You're a nice guy and all, but I'm not at a point in my life where I want to be tied down in a relationship. I want to be free to travel and do what I want when I want without having to take anyone else's feelings or opinions into account."

"Geez, it was just an innocent invitation for a drink," Reno laughed, "I didn't realize that it had to have so much more attached to it."

Yuffie smiled at her own stupidity and giggled along with Reno.

"Alright," she nodded, "We are friends after all, and co-workers. What's one drink among friends? But, after that I have to insist that we get some sleep and prepare to leave tonight."

"I agree," Reno replied, steering Yuffie towards his car.

(At Reno's apartment)

Yuffie and Reno sat on a fluffy, white sofa in the living room of Reno's darkly lit apartment. Reno, a beer in hand, and Yuffie, finishing her 4th martini, laughed in unison as they recalled memories from what seemed like a previous life.

"D'you remember that hair? What made him ever think that spikes were in?" Reno laughed.

"I think he got all his styling tips from that old friend of his, Zack," Yuffie replied with a chuckle.

As the laughter died down, Yuffie locked eyes with Reno and blushed a little.

"Old habits die hard, I suppose," she muttered to herself.

"What do you mean?" Reno asked curiously.

Yuffie laughed a little, "Well, I guess I used to have something of a crush on you," she replied.

Reno's lips twisted upward a bit at the corners.

Yuffie stared into his deep green eyes, "I guess I still do."

She slid a hand over his cheek and ran it through his hair and onto the nape of his neck. Reno shifted closer to her on the sofa and rested his hands on her creme colored shoulders, feeling her soft, warm skin beneath his palms.

"I've wondered for a long time what it would be like, with you I mean," Yuffie whispered, her warm breath dancing over Reno's cheek as she pressed her lips to it, "but circumstances in our life always seemed to pull us apart. Now everything just seems to fit."

All Reno could muster was a slight nod as he was lost in Yuffie's big, brown eyes that resembled polished stones. He felt like he was living a dream. The girl he'd always wanted, always fantasized about being with was sitting on _his _sofa in _his _apartment and he couldn't imagine the circumstances being any more in his favor. However, as much as he wanted to pluck her off of the sofa, carry her into the other room, and indulge their collective fantasies, something held him back.

Yuffie leaned in, her lips mere inches from his, but Reno caught her shoulders and pushed her away.

"Yuffie, we can't do this!" he said, regretting the words the second they came out of his mouth, "You're drunk."

She sat back and stared at him, looking like a small, wounded animal. Before he had time to complete his thought, she had stood, gathered her things, and was at his door fiddling with the lock. Before he could rise to stop her she had twisted the doorknob and was in the hallway and headed down the stairs. He merely stood in the doorway grasping at what almost was. What he had wanted to relay to her was not what had come out. He had wanted to say that she was drunk and he didn't want to take advantage of her. He wanted what she had wanted. He had wanted it for some time, but he had wanted it to be right. He wanted it to be memorable, with both participants willing and of sound mind. However, she had run out before he could finish what he was trying to say and wasn't sure if the same situation would ever arise again.

(End of flashback)

Reno sat in his car reminiscing about all the times he had nearly had Yuffie and lost her. Maybe that was fate's way of trying to clue him into the fact that he was never meant to be with her. Maybe he was just the poor shmuck trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, trying to force something that would never work. Had he truly wasted all that time trying to be with someone that he wasn't right for?

Raindrops began to fall on the windshield of the car. He twisted the key in the ignition and turned on the lights and wipers. He looked up at the house one last time before pulling out of the lot and beginning what he surmised would be the longest drive he had ever had.

Fate was cruel.


End file.
